| Title | The Anti-influenza Virus Effect of Phellinus igniarius Extract |
|---|---|
| Author | Sangmoo Lee1,2, Jin Il Kim1,2, Jun Heo1,2, Ilseob Lee1,2, Sehee Park1,2, Min-Woong Hwang1,2, Joon-Yong Bae1,2, Mee Sook Park1,2, Hyoung Jin Park3, and Man-Seong Park1,2* |
| Address | 1Department of Microbiology, Hallym University, Chuncheon 200-702, Republic of Korea, 2Center for Medical Science Research, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon 200-702, Republic of Korea, 3MushMed Co. LTD., Business Incubator, Hallym University, Chuncheon 200-702, Republic of Korea |
| Bibliography | Journal of Microbiology, 51(5),676-681, 2013, |
| DOI | 10.1007/s12275-013-3384-2 |
| Key Words | antiviral, herbal, influenza, multi-drug, Phellinus igniarius |
| Abstract | Herbal medicine has been used in the orient for thousands of years to treat large and small ailments, including microbial infections. Although there are treatments for influenza virus infection, there is no treatment for drug-resistant viruses. It is time that we explored and exploited the multicomponent nature of herbal extracts as multi-drug combination therapies. Here, we present data on the anti-influenza virus effect of a medicinal mushroom, Phellinus igniarius. The P. igniarius water extract was effective against influenza A and B viruses, including 2009 pandemic H1N1, human H3N2, avian H9N2, and oseltamivir-resistant H1N1 viruses. Virological assays revealed that the extract may interfere with one or more early events in the influenza virus replication cycle, including viral attachment to the target cell. Therefore, our results provide new insights into the use of P. igniarius as an anti-influenza medicine. |